Electric switch.



C. J. ZIGLER & W. P. HOLDEN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION FILED AUG.27| I9I3.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

J2 UGR tors Ea/7K3 J2me /a Zia 7e Qua Tia 125mm 7% 7 7% 767672 V flfaflfg C. J. ZIGLER & W. P. HOLDEN.

ELECTRIC SWITCH. APPLICATION EILED AUG.27; I913.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- 71 z'tnesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES JACOB ZIGLER AND WILLIAM POOL HOLDEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, CHARLES JACOB ZIG- LER and WILLIAM POOL HOLDEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Tmprovements' in Electric Switches, of which the following is a specification. While our improved switch may be used for various purposes, or in various locations, it is particularly adapted to be used as a service switch, or where knife switches have heretofore been commonly used. We have found that such prior forms of switches have been objectionable for many reasons, and have been the cause of many accidents. In such old type of switches the hinge bolts frequently work loose and cause burned or imperfect contacts, and such loose or imperfect contacts are apt to cause sparking, which is exceedingly dangerous in certain conditions, as for instance in mills where dust is apt, to collect. When such knife switches are inclosed in metallic boxes, the

operator is frequently required to hold the door open while throwing the switch, whereby he may complete a circuit from the switch box to the ground so that current from the switch or wires to the box may pass 0 from the switch box through his body, with the consequent liability of injury.

Among the objects of this invention are to provide a switch of this character which will avoid the objections above indicated; which 5 will be strong and substantial in construction; which will be as near waterproof and fire proof as possible; which will greatly or wholly eliminate all danger to the operator, particularly when such switch is operated by unskilled persons or persons not familiar with the danger of electric current; and in general to provide a novel and improved form of switch having such other advantages as will appear from the following de- 3 scription.

In the drawings accompanying this specification; Figure 1 is a front view of our improved switch as ordinarily constructed, with the cover removed; Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, parts being broken away to show the interior construction; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of one of the switch members; Figs. 4, 5 and .6, are details of the movable switch member and operating handle therefor; and, Figs. 7 and 8 are details of the stationary contact members.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

Application filed August 27, 1913. Serial No. 786,860.

In our preferred form of device, we inclose the switch or contact members in a box or casing such as the casing 9, as shown in the drawings. This box or casing is pref-- erably made in a substantial manner, as of cast metal, and is provided with a tight cover 10 which may be held in position in any suitable manner as by means of screws 11. A gasket 12 of asbestos or other suitable material may be inserted between the cover and box to make a substantially water-tight joint.

The box or casing 9 is provided with' guideways 13 at a short distance from the top to receive a plate 14 of insulating material, preferably of slate or the like, which carries the upper contact members 15.

These members are preferably made in the form shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8. Each member has a base 16 which is secured to the plate 14 by means of a terminal screw 17, which screw is provided above the plate with a clip or connection 18, for one of the conductor wires 19. Two angularly shaped contacts 20 are secured at their upper ends to each base 16, as shown, so that their lower ends which are substantially parallel to the base, provide contact fingers between which the movable contact blades are adapted to engage. The contacts 20 are provided with adjusting screws 21 whereby they may be adjusted to regulate the grip or tension on the switch blades. The box or casing 9 is also provided with a second set of guideways 22 for receiving a second insulating plate 23, which plate is provided with a series of contacts 24: similar to the contacts 15. These contact members 15 and 24 are preferably arranged in pairs, whereby a circuit may be closed between the upper and lower contactmembers by means of a series of contact blades 25, which are insulated from each other, and which are carried by a rotatable support 26. The support 26 preferably comprises a roller made of wood or other suitable insulating material which has a series of grooves 27 in the side thereof for receiving the contact blades 25. The blades are secured in the grooves by means of screws 28, the ends ofthe blades being with a suitable bearing in the side of the box or casing 9, and at the opposite end with a trunnion 30, which also engages with a bearing in the casing and extends outwardly to receive a handle 31.

The handle 31 is of a novel or peculiar form of construction and is provided with a spring, and also so arranged that, when the box is in normal upright position, both the spring and gravity tend to throw the switch to off position. In order to. accomplish this, we provide a cup or cylindrical member 32 which has its inner end fitting loosely over a lug or hearing 33 on the casing 9, while its outer or closed end is provided with a hole fitting freely over the trunnion 30. A coiled spring 34 has one end secured to the lug 33 and its opposite end secured to the cup or cylinder 32, and

- connected switch members.

tends to turn such cup or cylinder in the proper direction to throw the switch to oif position. In order to provide an adjustable connection between the cylinder 32 and the trunnion, the outer end of the cylinder is toothed or corrugated with radial corrugations 35 which fit into corresponding corrugations 36 in the hub of the handle 31. r

The handle is provided with one or more set screws 37 whereby it may be held in adjusted position. In order to adjust the tension of the spring, the set screws are loosened and the handle moved outwardly until the corrugations are out of mesh. The cylinder 32 is then turned until the desired tension is secured, and then the handle 31 is pressed inwardly to normal position and the set screws tightened so that the spring tends to turn the handle and trunnion with the is preferably arranged so that it will -be automatically locked in either off or on position. provide a segment 38 which is secured to the side of the casing 9 and which passes through a slot 39 in the handle. This segment is provided with two notches 40 and 41 which are adapted to be engaged by a bolt 42 slidably arranged in the handle 31, and also having a slot 43 through which the segment passes. The bolt is provided atthe outer end with a lmob 44 for pressing it downwardly, and at the inner end with 'a spring 45 which tends to throw it into engagement with the segment notches. This handle and the segment are preferably arranged as shown in Fig. 2 so that the weight nection point.

The handle 31 In order to accomplish this we' opening 49 in the bottom of the box, such opening serving as a connection for a conduit if desired. The-wires 19 from the upper contacts, likewise lead out through a suitable opening 50, in the top of the box.. 'It w1ll be particularly noted that the fuse operator to do to close the circuits is to press in on the knob 44 and raise the handle until the bolt 42 engages with the slot 41, at which time the blades 25 will be in engagement with their respective contact members 15 and 24. On account of the substantial support for the blades and the novel arrangement of the contact members,

a proper contact will be made at each con- However, if the switch is used to a considerable extent and the con tact members become worn, they may be readily adjusted by means of the screws 21. When the switch is to be opened, the operator merely presses in onthe knob 44, which releases the bolt, and pulls the handle down or permits the spring 34 to swing the same down, which rotates the support or roller 26 and throws the blades out of contact. The blades 25 are preferably arranged sufliciently far apart so that there will be no tendency toward arcing from one terminal or contact to another. From the above description it will be readily seen that the switch members are fully inclosed,

and there is no liability of the operator becoming shocked or injured by operating the switch. Furthermore, the inner parts being of rigid and substantial construction, will require but little attention. When such. attention is required it should be done by a properly skilled person, and minor adjustments, such as the adjustment of the handle, may be done without opening the box or coming in contact with the switch member. It will also be seen that the switch will be securely locked in either open or closed position, so that there will be little or no danger of its being accidentally thrown on or off. u

Having thus described our invention, which however, we do not wish to limit 'to the exact construction shown and described, except as specified in the appended claims, what weclaim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

partments, pairs of 1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a box or casing having slots therein, insulating partitions fitting in said slots and extending entirely across said casing and dividing the same into three comcontact members mounted on said partitions in the central compartment, connections extending from said contact members through the partitions for making connections with wires in the end compartments, an oscillating switch blade support mounted horizontally between said pairs of contacts, switch blades secured to said support for making connections between the contacts of the respective pairs, a handle for oscillating said support, a spring tending to move said handle to throw the switch blades out of contact with the contact members, said handle also acting under the influence of gravity to move in such direction, and means for locking said handle in predetermined positions I 2. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a box or casing having integrally formed horizontal guideways arranged adjacent to the ends thereof, insulating partitions in said guideways extending entirely across the box for dividing the box into compartments, one or more pairs of contacts secured to the partitions within the inner compartment, an insulating roller mounted in the box, switch blades secured to said roller for making connections between the contact members, a handle connected with said roller for turning the same, a spring tending to throw the handle so that the switch will be in open position, means for adjusting said spring, a notched segment with which said handle engages, and a lock in said handle for engagement with the trunnion and having notches in the segment for locking the switch in open or closed position.

3. In an electric switch, the combination of a box or casing having bearings therein, an oscillating switch member having trunnions engaging with said bearings, a cup or cylinder enga ing with the outer periphery of one of said earings, and having a hole in the end thereof through which the trunnion passes, a spring wit ing one end secured'to the cylinder and the other to the bearing, serrations in the end of said cylinder, a handle engaging with said serrations engaging with the serrations in the cylinder, means for fastening said handle to the trunnion, a segment passing through an opening in said handle, and a spring lock in said handle for engagement with notches in said segment.

4:. ln an electric of a box formed of cast metal and having bearings therein, her having trunnions engaging with said bearings, a handle engaging with one of said trunnions, a spring connecting between said handle and the casing, tending to throw such handle to open the switch, said handle being also mounted so that gravity will assist in causing it to move to open the switch, means for adjusting the tension of the spring, a segment securedto the casing and having notches therein, and a spring lock in said handle for engagement with the notches in said segment.

CHARLES JACOB ZIGLER. LIAM POOL HOLDEN.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM G. J. Urns,

JOSEPH A. BRADY.

1n said cylinder hav switch, the combination an oscillating switch meme 

